Keep updated with what is happening at Parkside Children's Learning Center!

August 10, 2018

Owner

August 10, 2018

Hello Parkside Families,

Wow!It has been a hot week!I’m sure many of us can agree that we are looking for the humidity to break so that we can enjoy the warmer weather without being so uncomfortable.This week we have had to modify and even cancel recesses due to the high temperatures and heat warnings.Our teachers have been trained with knowing how to monitor children very carefully for heat exhaustion as well as heat strokes, but when it comes to the intense heat we have had this week it is safer to stay inside.As you may know all of our full-time teachers are certified in CPR/FA, which according to the State of Maine Daycare Regulations there only needs to be 1 person in the building who is certified.When we are outside we offer regular water breaks and we make sure they are taking of their helmets when they are not on the bikes.At the end of this blog there is an article about heat safety; you can find the article at: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-home/Pages/Protecting-Children-from-Extreme-Heat-Information-for-Parents.aspx.

Over the past few weeks I have been discussing children transitions as well as teacher transitions.This week we have completed some children’s transitions and will have more the last two weeks of August.We believe that it takes time to adjust to new situations, for both children and families.Next week we will have some teacher transitions, which again will be a gradual transition.This will give us the opportunity to see if these new changes are a good fit for everyone as well as what other adjustments to we need to make.We recognize transitions can be hard for everyone, but they also provide different opportunities for our teachers to learn from other team players as well as to grow in their experience as Early Childhood professionals.Next week you will meet Miss Kenisha, who will be visiting our Sequoia classroom, Miss Danielle (from Sequoia) will be visiting our Zion room, Miss Gabby who will be visiting our Yellowstone room and Miss Kyna will be visiting our Big Sur room.We also want to welcome Miss Emileigh to the Olympic classroom; she will be working beside Miss Lisa and Mr. Dayne!We will let all of our classroom families know if these transitions are successful at the end of next week!

“We’ve Got Your Back” Campaign update:I am always so proud and amazed by the generosity from our Parkside families!You recognize the importance of this campaign as well as we do! We will be delivering these supplies on Monday!We donated: 12 backpacks, 3 lunchboxes, 13 boxes of crayons and 61 other supplies!Thank you again to all who donated!

August 24th (rain date August 23rd): End of the year event!We are preparing for our end of the year celebration!We will have a great variety of activities that will include a dino dig, balloon tennis, sidewalk chalk, bounce houses and many more fun activities!We will announce the times for the event for each wing in next week’s blog.We will also have permission slips in classrooms beginning next week in order for your child to bounce in the bounce houses and have snow cones for an afternoon snack!Please talk with your child’s teacher if you have any questions!

Friday, August 31st, Parkside is CLOSED for teacher training!We are looking forward to spending the day training as a team!Our day is going to include training on Conscious Discipline, team building activities that will help us to be a better team and to prepare our classrooms for the new program year.Thank you for your support and knowing that this day is important for our program!

Upcoming Events:

Friday, August 24th (rain date August 23rd): End of the year event

Friday, August 31st: Parkside is CLOSED for shut down day

Monday, September 3rd: Parkside is CLOSED for Labor Day

Thursday, September 13th: Parkside curriculum night

Tuesday, Wednesday September 25th and 26th: pictures with Emily McIntosh!Package envelopes with schedule will be published at the beginning of September!

Enjoy your weekend!

Jen

Protecting Children from Extreme Heat: Information for Parents

​​Extreme heat can cause children to become sick in several ways. Make sure to protect your child from the heat as much as possible, watch for symptoms, and call your pediatrician if you see any develop.

Prevent the Effects of Extreme Heat:

When weather conditions do not pose a safety or individual health risk, children can and should play outdoors. A heat index at or above 90°F, as identified by the National Weather Service, poses a significant health risk. However, there are several steps you can take to beat the heat and protect your child from heat-related illness:

Find an air-conditioned space. If your home does not have air-conditioning, find a nearby building that does. Libraries can be a great place for a cool retreat from the heat. If you live in a place where the air-conditioning is unpredictable, plan in advance for a safe place for you and your family to go during times when the temperatures are high.

Stay hydrated. Encourage your children to drink water regularly and have it readily available—even before they ask for it. On hot days, infants receiving breast milk in a bottle can be given additional breast milk in a bottle, but they should not be given water—especially in the first six months of life. Infants receiving formula can be given additional formula in a bottle. See Signs of Dehydration in Infants & Children.

Dress lightly. Dress your children in clothing that is light-colored, lightweight, and limited to one layer of absorbent material that will maximize the evaporation of sweat. Kids have a lower capacity for sweating than adults.

Plan for extra rest time. Heat can often make children (and their parents) feel tired.

Cool off. When your child is feeling hot, give them a cool bath or water mist to cool down. Swimming is another great way to cool off while staying active.

Ask about policies. Talk to your child’s caregiver, camp, coach or child care provider about their policies for protecting your children throughout the day—especially during outdoor play or exercise. ​

​​​Hot Car Warning!

Never leave children in a car or in another closed motor vehicle. The temperature inside the car can quickly become much higher than the outside temperature—a car can heat up abou​t 19 degrees in as little as 10 minutes and continue rising to temperatures that cause death. See Prevent Child Deaths in Hot Cars for more information.

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Potential Health Effects of Extreme Heat:

Extreme heat can make children sick in many ways, including:

Dehydration

Heat exhaustion

Heat cramps

Heat stroke

When to Call Your Pediatrician:

Call your pediatrician immediately if your child develops any of the following symptoms. Your pediatrician can advise you on the next best course of action and whether an immediate evaluation is needed.